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Roundup: Kan., Calif. budget cuts; Texas NICU costs; Katrina trial; Medco CalPERS contract 'dumped'

This list of programs cut in the California state budget includes a 10 percent reduction in what the state pays for Medi-Cal patients at all long-term care facilities $172.3 million and a 10 percent reduction in what the state pays to physicians who see people on Medi-Cal.

21 Mar 2011

Flexibility key word at Senate hearing on state exchanges

State officials from different political perspectives expressed interest in establishing health insurance exchanges, and an administration official promised "a wide berth" in how states choose to construct parts of the reform law.

19 Mar 2011

House GOP targets CLASS Act during subcommittee hearing

Republicans on the panel took issue with the 2012 start-up funding sought by the Department of Health and Human Services, though the long-term care program is one part of the health law Democrats have made clear they are open to refining.

19 Mar 2011

Roundup: Texas attacks health law as Calif., Ind. hospitals cope with law's effects

At today's meeting of the House Select Committee on State Sovereignty, Republican lawmakers laid out a dozen bills — and a handful of different strategies — to prevent implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in Texas, and allow the state to operate Medicaid its own way.

19 Mar 2011

Viewpoints: Too many CT scans; single payer is 'best solution'; WSJ on Wash. state 'overregulation'

Studies indicate patients are receiving more CT scans than ever before in emergency rooms, hospitals and outpatient settings. This burgeoning application of CT scanning has important implications for patients, diagnostically and in terms of radiation exposure, as well as consequences for the country's overall medical budget.

19 Mar 2011

Senate Finance Committee hearing marked by detailed policy discussions

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius testified before the panel where she defended the health law waivers so far granted by the administration and other aspects of the overhaul that have been subject to scrutiny and criticism.

18 Mar 2011

Experts warn radiation fears are diverting attention from public health threats in Japan

Concerns about radiation leaks from Japan's nuclear plant, which was damaged in the recent earthquake and tsunami, might be "diverting attention from potentially worse threats to public health ... like the cold and disrupted supplies of water," Reuters reports.

18 Mar 2011

U.S. officials discuss proposed foreign aid cuts at House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing

Proposed budget cuts could be "absolutely devastating" for American foreign aid programs, USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah said at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Wednesday, the Associated Press reports.

18 Mar 2011

Viewpoints: Houston's 'painful' E.R. decision; Arizona's 'war' on kids' health care; protecting elders from abuse

Women are the majority of public-sector employees at the state and local levels and have already lost 320,000 public-sector jobs in the past two years. In addition, the GOP majority is attempting to defund Title X services, which have connected millions of American women to health care since 1970.

18 Mar 2011

New information on how best to teach children with hearing loss

Two to three in every 1,000 children are born with a hearing loss that is likely to impact development. Research of the auditory system at its early developmental stages, and efforts to identify hearing loss and initiate appropriate rehabilitation strategies, can be crucial to the healthy development of a child.

18 Mar 2011

Roundup: Cuts in Calif. programs; Ga. seeks federal MLR waiver; N.J. lawmakers try to restore some health funding

State lawmakers Wednesday approved billions of dollars in cuts to welfare, medical programs for the poor and in-home care for the elderly and frail, among other services, moving forward key pieces of Gov. Jerry Brown's budget reduction package.

18 Mar 2011

First Edition: March 17, 2011

Today's headlines include reports about a new GAO report showing success in health insurer appeals and a decision by Blue Shield of California to retreat from proposed rate increases.

17 Mar 2011

Research on electrophysiological assessment of hearing in patients with acoustic neuromas

Manuel Don, Ph.D., is a principal investigator in the Division of Communication and Auditory Neuroscience at the House Ear Institute. Dr. Don joined the House Ear Institute in 1976 after working as an assistant research auditory physiologist at the University of California, Irvine.

17 Mar 2011

MedPAC recommends patients help pay home health care costs

The advisory panel also urged that payments for physicians and hospitals be increased and that the home health care payment formula be reworked. In related news, a Ways & Means subcommittee hearing on Medicare payment issues quickly turned into an exploration of a GOP proposal to replace the program's current structure with a voucher system.

17 Mar 2011

Electric devices can improve aging skin

It may seem as if new developments to combat aging skin are being introduced faster than the speed of light. At the forefront of the research, dermatologists are underpinning these advancements, refining the basic understanding of how the skin ages in order to develop more effective non-invasive cosmetic procedures and products.

16 Mar 2011

It's the health law's birthday and not everyone is celebrating

The health overhaul's first anniversary — just about a week away — is already being marked on Capitol Hill with a number of hearings and other events related to exploring, complimenting and criticizing the law's implementation.

16 Mar 2011

Sonova expects sales of around CHF 1,600 million for the current business year 2010/11

Sonova Holding AG, the world's leading provider of hearing systems, is announcing today that the Group is expecting sales of around CHF 1,600 million and an EBITA margin of 20-21% for 2010/11, barring any unforeseen events.

16 Mar 2011

Waivers continue to be flashpoints in health overhaul's implementation

More than 1,040 waiver requests have been approved so far by the Department of Health and Human Services regarding so-called "mini-med" plans. But the perplexing question appears to be how HHS will handle the requests in 2012 and 2013, before a major provision of the health law takes effect. In addition, anticipation continues to mount in regard to the upcoming release of ACO regs.

14 Mar 2011

Viewpoints: Sebelius, Harkin, Wyden, King, Altman, Butler weigh in on health reform law

Early signs show that, after years of decline, the number of small businesses offering coverage to employees is increasing. Perhaps less widely recognized, but no less significant, has been the way the law is demanding transparency and accountability from the insurance industry to bring down premiums.

14 Mar 2011

FY12 State Department funding request cannot be fulfilled, House Foreign Ops committee chair says

It "will not be possible" to meet the funding request for the State Department in President Barack Obama's FY12 budget proposal, Rep. Kay Granger, chair of the House State-Foreign Operations Subcommittee, said at a hearing on Thursday, CQ reports.

14 Mar 2011

Hearing News and Research

Roundup: Kan., Calif. budget cuts; Texas NICU costs; Katrina trial; Medco CalPERS contract 'dumped'

Flexibility key word at Senate hearing on state exchanges

House GOP targets CLASS Act during subcommittee hearing

Roundup: Texas attacks health law as Calif., Ind. hospitals cope with law's effects

Viewpoints: Too many CT scans; single payer is 'best solution'; WSJ on Wash. state 'overregulation'

Senate Finance Committee hearing marked by detailed policy discussions

Experts warn radiation fears are diverting attention from public health threats in Japan

U.S. officials discuss proposed foreign aid cuts at House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing

Viewpoints: Houston's 'painful' E.R. decision; Arizona's 'war' on kids' health care; protecting elders from abuse

New information on how best to teach children with hearing loss

Roundup: Cuts in Calif. programs; Ga. seeks federal MLR waiver; N.J. lawmakers try to restore some health funding

First Edition: March 17, 2011

Research on electrophysiological assessment of hearing in patients with acoustic neuromas

MedPAC recommends patients help pay home health care costs

Electric devices can improve aging skin

It's the health law's birthday and not everyone is celebrating

Sonova expects sales of around CHF 1,600 million for the current business year 2010/11

Waivers continue to be flashpoints in health overhaul's implementation

Viewpoints: Sebelius, Harkin, Wyden, King, Altman, Butler weigh in on health reform law

FY12 State Department funding request cannot be fulfilled, House Foreign Ops committee chair says

Industry Focus eBook - Cell biology (5th edition) eBook

Improving healthcare sustainability through carbon data

Managing vibration in IVF laboratories

A New Approach to Preventing Bladder Cancer Recurrence

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